Mer and the Maraqua Ruins
by UmbrielBluethorn
Summary: Babyfluff2000 was an ordinary strawberry jubjub until her encounter with the mysterious koi named Mer. Can they team up and unlock the mystery?
1. Part 1

I do not own Neopets, I own the plot, and I created the Wayi. I only used My pets in this and Zapdos_trainer22 is my account though I can't do anything on it due to computer problems.  
  
Part One  
  
It was a boring Wednesday afternoon so my owner decided to take everyone to Meridell for the first time. It was so beautiful. I asked if we could watch Turtle Racing. My owner, Zapdos_Trainer22, told us that we had to bet on a turtle before we could actually watch the race. She bet 50 neopoints and went over to the racetrack. Then I noticed something strange, no one else was there. "Hm, I wonder where everyone else is. Wait one minute, there aren't any turtles here! Now that I look, there isn't anything here!" Zap started looking everywhere for some sign of something other than a green field.  
  
Surf21074 was the first to notice the bluish glow in the middle of all the green. "Hey, um, there's something else here. It's coming towards us now."  
  
"What is it? It's really pretty!" Bouncalina walked up to it.  
  
"If I knew what it was I'd tell you, Baby_fluff?" Zap said pulling Bounca back and far from what ever it was.  
  
"I don't remember reading about anything like this," I said trying to recall all of the books I had read. "Well, there was one but that was in the myth section in the book you got my with out a title. It started describing multicolored lights but the rest of the page was torn off." By now the glow was shining so bright it was hard to see. It abruptly faded and I almost fainted at what I saw. There was a face that looked electronic staring at me through what looked like some sort of portal. There was no body, just a face.  
  
"Which one of you is referred to as Baby_fluff2000? We are in great need of your help." The voice had a strange metallic yet soothing effect to it.  
  
"Why her? She can't fight, she's worse than me, and I've never one a battle!" Rachel707 complained.  
  
"We need her intelligence, not skills." the voice replied.  
  
Finally I spoke, "But why me?" I asked, "There are so many smarter pets then me."  
  
"Because the others just won't do, meet me at the edge of Meridell tomorrow at sunrise, bring no one." The glow brightened then faded leaving nothing but curious pets.  
  
"Well? What are we all standing around here for? Lets go get you smarter!" Zap hopped off to the book store. "I'd like this, and this, and this, this one looks cool to! What we really need is a book about spells of the faeries, anything about magic!"  
  
My sisters and I left Zap to her haggling and went home. It started raining and thundering. We played indoor tag until she got home.  
  
"Ah, here, read this!" "Um, that says Cybunny Down." Surf commented.  
  
"Oops. I mean read this one." Zap shoved another book in my face. It read Faerie Tales.  
  
"Oh, and take this. It's a Soul Stone. It's used for protection." I slipped the Soul Stone necklace over my neck and started Faerie Tales. It was a short book and it didn't take me long to read it. There was only one point I found useful.  
  
As he peered around the corner he realized that the glowing light was a mind of some sort, he later discovered that it originated from the faeries. It was made of their magic and had a mind of its own. These magic minds are rarely seen and are controlled by magical beings.  
  
"You'd better get some rest, you've got a big day ahead of you." Zap sent me to bed and I slept soundly.  
  
The next day I was brought to Meridell on Surf's back. She landed in the water and swan back to Neopia Central. I turned around to face the ocean. Both excited and afraid I looked over the horizon. Suddenly there was a splash. I blinked, there it was again. There was a whorl of water and I found myself face to face with a blue Koi.  
  
"Jubjub?" It spoke in a high pitch voice. "Jubjub? What is you're name?"  
  
"M-my name is Baby_fluff2000, what's yours?"  
  
"My name's 6978379" it must have seen my confused look because then it said, "So you came, you can call me Mer." 


	2. Part 2

I do not own Neopets, I own the plot, and I created the Wayi. I only used My pets in this and Zapdos_trainer22 is my account though I can't do anything on it due to computer problems.  
  
Part 2  
  
"I was the one to call you here to this part of the world." Mer continued.  
  
"Mer? Why did you call me here?" I asked confused.  
  
"It is a complicated situation that you must see for yourself." the koi replied.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"We are going to Maraqua." she turned to dive into the water but I stopped her before she could go.  
  
"But Mer! I can't swim or hold my breath that long!" I was scared to go down deep but I didn't say that.  
  
"Here, drink this, it will solve that problem." She handed me a bottle with a thick liquid inside. The liquid was a light blue with fish fins sprouting from the bottle. It looked like one of Kauvara's potions. At a closer glance it looked kind of like a morphing potion.  
  
"No! Zap would ground me if I ever drank one of those! She worked to get a Strawberry paintbrush for me. It reminds her of all the things she went through in Neopia. I can't!" My memory raced through my past and I gave the bottle back to Mer.  
  
"You must Jubjub, look at these, if you survive I will give you these." Mer said holding up another bottle and a paint brush. It was a thick green substance with jubjub feet growing from the bottle. She also held a Strawberry Fields Forever Paint Brush, with both of these I could return to normal. I sighed and decided to go along with it.  
  
"Okay, give me the potion." Mer handed me the blue potion and I reluctantly drank it. There was not much else I could do. I felt my body shift as I sprouted fins and my feet molded into a single fin. My eyes changed. I felt my soft fur harden and become scales. A lump formed on my face that I identified as a nose and slits grew on the side of my face that became gills. Delight filled me as I had a sudden urge to dive down as far as I could.  
  
"Come." Mer stated and dove down into the dark water. I followed behind her. "Jubjub, we first must visit an underwater cave for a necessary piece of equipment." Mer stated.  
  
I followed her down through the watery depths. I watched as a Ramosan swam by. We got to a large underwater mountain and swam through a small opening. Coral and seaweed was growing around the edges. As we swam further and further into the cave there were exotic, luminous, flowers of multiple colors scattered everywhere. The flowers started to grow larger and that's when Mer stopped. She cut a green flower with her tail and put it in a bag she wore around her waist. "Now we can go to the Maraqua Ruins, come." Mer said with a flick of her tail and she swam towards the entrance.  
  
"Why are we going there? It was supposed to be deserted." I asked Mer.  
  
"Tell that to the Wayi, they could care less about what you or anyone else thinks." she replied.  
  
"Are they the reason you sent for me?"  
  
"Yes." Mer said. During our journey to the Maraqua Ruins she would not say anything but to stay quiet. I did.  
  
As we approached the ruins I herd a scraping noise that sounded metallic. "What was that?" I asked.  
  
"That was a Wayan. Wayi are small mysterious folk. No one knows quit what these beings are. Some guess they are prisoners of Jhudora, suffering trapped souls with no where to go. " Sorrow filled Mer's eyes as she gazed across the ruble. I knew then that I had to do whatever it took to help her and the Wayi. As we got closer I could see shapes moving, lurching upward, then falling back down.  
  
"What else do you know about them?" I asked Mer before charging into investigate.  
  
"Not much else, they have scared anyone who tried to get near them away. They are miserable creatures and are not aware of each other. They go mad if they tough anything so I would not advise rushing up to one. This way Jubjub, I will show you where they come from." 


	3. Part 3

I do not own Neopets, I own the plot, and I created the Wayi. I only used My pets in this and Zapdos_trainer22 is my account though I can't do anything on it due to computer problems.  
  
Part 3  
  
Mer led me across the ruins, carefully avoiding the Wayi. She stopped before a slab of rock that appeared to be covered in a dense black liquid. Upon closer examination I could confirm that there was a tunnel behind it. I started hearing distant screams not from the Wayi.  
  
"You will now witness the coming of a Wayan. No one has ever seen this before," Mer said, pushing me back behind a chunk of debris.  
  
"But then how do you know where they come from and that one is coming now?" I asked very confused.  
  
"I feel it, I know," she replied.  
  
I did not have any time to say anything else because of what I saw next. Something came through the tunnel and when it emerged it was the color of the dense liquid. It was a Wayan. It came out screeching that metallic sound and flailing its limbs everywhere. We slunk down behind the debris separating us from the newly formed Wayan. Suddenly it stopped and turned to face the place it had come from. The entrance to the tunnel rippled and a face like the one that had earlier came to me appeared. This one was dark purple with green eyes. The Wayan looked around before it turned to the face.  
  
"You are now a prisoner of Jhudora, go now, wreak havoc on this barren land. There is no escape," the face said in a scratchy high-pitched voice. Mer and I turned to each other.  
  
"Well that explains a lot," I said. Suddenly Mer stared and paled. I turned around to see the Wayan rushing at me. It was looking around for something that appeared to be above my head. It lunged at me and grabbed my head. Sorrow filled its face even though it did not have any features. I closed my eyes and was startled when images filled my vision. From my perspective, I was about five and a half feet tall looking at the grassy meadows of Neopia. I watched as a blue scorchio ran up.  
  
"Astre! Magic's after Prince again!" The scorchio pointed and my view turned to see a small green ixi chasing a green uni with Gooseberry Jelly.  
  
"Magic! Prince! Stop! Put down the Gooseberry Jelly," I did not say those words but they came from where I was. "Do you want to come with me Moonsinger?" I'm going to see how easy Jhudora's quests are, we've nothing better to do."  
  
The scene switched to Faerieland and then to Jhudora's cloud. The deep purples scared me at first. They rolled across the sky which made me wonder why I didn't fall.  
  
"Are you sure this a good idea?" the scorchio popped it's head from behind my leg. What? I have a leg? Wait a minute, I have a human body too! But what if the Wayan is showing me it's past? Could this happen to Zap too?  
  
"Sure! Everyone does one of the quests sooner or later, Illusen recently gave me one that cost 20,000np! I think we'll try Jhudora instead," The voice came from around me again. The seen switched again to the center of the cloud. I looked around and saw a streak of purple and green, suddenly the clouds parted below me and I started to fall. I heard the scorchio calling after me as everything around me went fuzzy. I could hear the laughter of Jhudora as everything cleared and I was still falling. This time however, as I looked to the side I saw a faint line of Meridell castle. I looked below me and saw a black and purple spot in the water which I was falling toward. The voice finally got the courage to yell and did so until I hit the water. There were still muffled yelps as everything turned black.  
  
I began to feel my real body again and the Wayan hand twitched. I opened my eyes to see the Wayan jerk back and start to panic.  
  
"Jubjub! What happened?" Mer looked very confused. Just then the Wayan decided to charge. "Never mind now, we must get away from the Wayi." We swam through the ruins far away from the Wayi.  
  
I told Mer what I saw which seemed to trouble her more. "Do you have any ideas what to do now?" I asked in hope that she might know of somewhere else to look.  
  
Her eyes only narrowed as she replied, "No, but I think they might have some answers," I turned around to see a wooden ship drifting through the water that the Wayi seemed to be attracted to with large black cannons. There was a large crack through the stern which gave an even more eerier effect to the ship. It started toward us. 


	4. Part 4

I do not own Neopets, I own the plot, and I created the Wayi. I only used My pets in this and Zapdos_trainer22 is my account though I can't do anything on it due to computer problems.  
  
Part 4  
  
As the ship came closer two beings emerged from the crack. Both were clothed in a dark purple uniform and their shape was impossible to tell with all of the movement of the Wayi.  
  
"Jubjub, getting captured could work to out advantage. Try to swim away, but don't swim fast. Pretend as if you are trying to get away from here but not so that you look suspicious," Mer advised me as she started swimming at a normal pace. I turned in the opposite direction and started to swim. Now that I thought about it, it was fun. This must be what flying must be like, only better. In the water I did not have to stay on the ground. I could go up. Just as I started to really enjoy myself I felt a tugging at my tail fin.  
  
"We've got her!" I herd a feminine voice call back to the ship, "Stop struggling and make this easy for the both of us. We're just gonna take you back for a few questions." That statement was directed at me.  
  
"But I have to go! I shouldn't be here!" I protested and attempted to struggle.  
  
"Your right, you shouldn't," Said the figure. A black gloved hand shot out of the robe and grabbed my the fin near my ear. I tugged in the opposite direction but realized it's grip was firm. I decided to follow remembering what Mer had said.  
  
I was led into the crack in the ship. As we approached, the Wayi backed away. it seemed as if they were afraid of our captors. Inside the ship I was led through a few doors and around some corners. I found the ship odd because even though it appeared old and cracked from the outside, the inside was clean and well maintained. Suddenly I was jerked upward toward a circular hole in the ceiling. As we emerged I felt the force of gravity pull down on me as the air began to pull at my scales. The room was filled with air which is all I could tell for a small time until my eyes adjusted. When I could see, which only took a few seconds, I noticed I was in a room that looked like most of the others in the ship. Except for the fact that there was a box with switches, dials, and buttons protruding from it. There were also two clumps of bars which appeared to be it the form of cages. I gulped.  
  
"And remind me why we are taking them captive again?" the voice still gripping my fin addressed another figure who had just came through the hole and was holding on to Mer. She tried to struggle which only made the second figure's grip tighten.  
  
"Simple," the figure holding Mer began, "they know too much," and with that it tossed Mer effortlessly out of the water and into a small gap in the bars. It was the only one large enough to let any Koi through. Before Mer had a chance to even get up the figure sprung up from the hope and touched the box on the wall to hit a button. A bar fell down trapping Mer. I then felt my body being lifted up and being flung in the cage that was next to Mer's. I tried to move to see if anything was broken. My back hurt bad and my tail fin was squeezed between two of the bars.  
  
The two figures lowered their hoods of their uniform. One was a female with long black hair that as she tossed it back fell to her knees. She had pale skin and her black eyes ran shivers down my spine. The other was a male. He had short curly black hair and dark skin. His eyes were a menacing red. They seemed to see things that I could not see. He had an almost haunting look as he glared at Mer. "This other one is the pet of Zapdos_Trainer22. Her name is Baby_fluff2000. She'll be worth a bunch of neopoints either by ransom or I'm sure some owner would love a smart Strawberry Jubjub with a talent for writing. Would they not? All we have to do really would be take the items Mystery has. Hm?" Who's Mystery? And what does she have that's so special? The two people went off whispering to each other as I turned to Mer.  
  
"Mer? Are you okay? You don't look so good. I was wondering if you know what the were talking about." I asked looking at a pale Mer.  
  
"Unfortunately, yes. Do you remember how my I said my name was 6978379? Well, that can be translated into Mystery. It was because of my mother. But that is not important now, we need to break that box. If I can remember correctly that box controls both surveillance and these cages. Jubjub, any ideas?"  
  
"Why do you keep calling me that?" I became very angry. Not only had she changed my species and color, but she had gotten me trapped in a cage while she seemed to know more about this situation that she was holding back from me. It did not seem fair. "I'm not a Jubjub anymore! I'm a Koi! That's why I'm in a boat surrounded by water on all sides!"  
  
"If you are angry it is only your own fault," Mer replied quietly, "You accepted this mission and in doing so put your life on the line. You are still a Jubjub inside."  
  
I paused for a while to think. This was all true. I had accepted the mission. Somehow, I had though I would never need to be in this position. Zap had always protected me and kept me away from harm. Maybe Rachel707 should have gone instead. She might not be the best fighter but she was stronger in all of the aspects I seemed to need now. She also could stay calm in a situation like this. I looked down at my Soul Stone and I had an idea. 


	5. Part 5

I do not own Neopets, I own the plot, and I created the Wayi. I only used My pets in this and Zapdos_trainer22 is my account though I can't do anything on it due to computer problems.  
  
Part 5  
  
I let out a long, piercing Jubjub screech as well as I could with my new voice box. Every Jubjub could do one that could cause an enemy to cease it's attacking. The sound vibrated through the air as the ship shook. As the vibrating slowed, Mer and I heard footsteps coming. The two figures that had imprisoned us came rushing in. Both were wearing loose, black, uniform type clothing. They also had black capes with two dark purple streaks going down the sides. The effect was ominous.  
  
"What was that?" the lady in black asked with a smug look on her face. She brushed her hair from her face.  
  
"The Koi with a past of being a Jubjub, have you forgotten their screeching ability already?" the man said.  
  
"No, but I didn't suspect that she could still do it," the lady spoke again.  
  
I let out another screech and watched as the two black figures covered their ears. "We have to shut this one up or the whole ship will collapse!" one of them yelled. They started coming closer. With an effort, I inched into position. My fin grabbed one of the bars ready to fling my weight. The girl opened one of the bars by pressing some buttons on the box and the boy advanced on me. That was when I held up my Soul Stone and gave a screech like I had never done before. Both of them froze. In that time I flung myself out of the cage and at the box. I dug the sharp end of the Stone into the box which shattered.  
  
As this happened Mer was released from her cage and the black clothed people began to be freed.  
  
"Find the main control room, enter the code jhudmask and the rest you'll be able to figure out. I'll hold these two off, go, now!" Mer shouted as I saw her stand up on her tail fin and draw a Faerie Slingshot, Necklace of the Water Faerie glimmering around her neck. I couldn't help but worry that she might be seriously hurt though she had strong enough weapons.  
  
Pulling myself up a staircase I began to wonder where to find a control room. From past referenced I thought that it would most likely be in the top of the ship where it jetted out. That way they could see everything that went on. This is most likely why I was chosen, none of the other pets would have made that assumption. Bouncalina for example, she would have just searched the whole ship! I grinned to myself, until I found the control room. It was massive, to say the least. It was filled with screens, colored buttons, some of which were blinking, charts, data, and some things I can't even begin to describe. I searched until I found one keyboard and screen that seemed to be more important, yet hidden away. The screen was blank, but on. I tried typing it the code.  
  
jhudmask  
  
It responded.  
  
enter name  
  
I had to think about this one. Who could I pretend to be? Well, who did I know was in it. "Of course!" I cried and continued.  
  
Jhudora  
  
It took a little while to register that.  
  
Secondary Code  
  
This one took some time. I obviously needed a second code of some sort to access information. I pressed the 'delete' button and it brought me back to the main screen. I knew another person who must be in on this, or least had done something with it. Instead of entering Jhudora, I entered Mystery. That was what the others had called her. When stated 'Secondary Code' again I put in...  
  
6978379  
  
It seemed to be the most reasonable as she sometimes went by that. I waited for it to respond.  
  
Welcome Mystery, please place command  
  
I decided to try terminate. It was the best I could think of at the time. It did something, though I could not figure out what. Numbers and letters flashed by, I didn't understand any of it. After a few second of this, the screen showed a single word.  
  
Continue?  
  
I pressed 'Enter'.  
  
Mission: Wayi Maraqua SubTitle: Jhudmask Command: Shut down area (ship, portal, communication) Stop mission. Halt. Code:_  
  
I almost gave up at this point. Why did everything seem to was a code? Just then there was a blue light in the room and a familiar face appeared. It was the one Zap and I saw way back at the start of all this. It spoke again in it's metallic voice, "Hello again, I am to aid you with this. If you wish to get any farther, answer this riddle, I live in the sky without wings, I am full of living things. Evil things, they lurk 'round me, I am full of joyous sound. My support will rain down, on Neopia all around," The face nodded, "I can not give any more guidance, farewell."  
  
"What? Wait, what's going on?" I asked, but it had already gone. 


	6. Part 6

I do not own Neopets, I own the plot, and I created the Wayi. I only used My pets in this and Zapdos_trainer22 is my account though I can't do anything on it due to computer problems.  
  
Part 6  
  
The answer to the riddle clicked inside, "Faerieland!" I thought, that must be it! I tried typing it in, and it worked. At least I thought it did. Instead, it brought up a screen that read;  
  
Self-destruct : 5 minutes - countdown  
  
I flung myself at the door as the screen presented the number 4:58 and rolled down the stairs, ignoring the pointed edges digging into my scales. As I reached the bottom I saw Mer curled in a ball. "Are you all right?" was what first popped into my mind. When there was no reply I tried again.  
  
"Mer? Was that face that gave me a riddle from you?" I asked.  
  
"It was," Mer sighed, "Koi do not have the power to control that power though. I will tell you more," Mer turned away, her face filled with grief and pain. She spoke in a sorrow filled tone, "I was a strong Uber-Water faerie before, my sister, the Faerie Queen assigned me to the task of protecting Maraqua. When I am around people and neopets I will turn into a Koi so people will not notice me. You however have proven yourself and after I had defeated the other two I was able to change back to my true form. "Take my pouch and cure the Wayi with the plant we got before, break of pieces of it and give it to them. Now leave me, no other Wayi will be created."  
  
"Before I go, answer me this, how were you connected into this?" I asked, this was the last part that did not make sense to me.  
  
Mer looked reluctant to answer but she did, "It started years ago, when I was new on the job. The two of them offered to help keep Maraqua safe. They said if I joined them, we could rebuild it. Little did I know we were trying for two different things. I left to get help once I discovered the Wayi to be sad, miserable creatures. That was when I got you. Now go, don't waste time with me!"  
  
A single tear drop fell as I took Mer's pouch. "Wait," I herd Mer continue, "Tell the Faerie Queen about this. I'll miss you, maybe we'll meet again." Those were the last words I herd her say. I plunged through the opening and sped away from the ship as fast as I could. I found a rock that jetted out and hid behind it. It felt good to be in the water again. The feeling did not last as I heard a sickening crack, and then an explosion. Water and debris flew around my hiding spot. I couldn't take it, I sobbed until the water had settled. I was alone, in the middle of the ocean, and my new friend had just died. I peered inside the pouch. Everything was still there. I pulled out the green flower and looked at it for a while. It had a jungle green center and many small lime green petals. The flower smelt strange and foreign.  
  
Swimming back to the Ruins and the Wayi I remembered Zap and my best friends. I missed my home. I would be going there soon.  
  
The first Wayan I found looked familiar, I noticed it was the one I had met before. I pulled off a petal from the flower, and not knowing what to do with it I held it out. The Wayan turned towards it and it's expressions lightened. It gently swam to the petal and took it. A picture of the blue Scorchio I had seen it with appeared in a flask of light and the Wayan disappeared. I could almost here the words "Thank you" as it vanished. I continued to do this with the rest of the Wayi until there were no more left. By the time they had all been freed I was so tired I could barley keep my eyes open. I drifted to sleep for the first time in a while. I woke up to the gentle prodding of something. I woke up thinking it was Zap, but the memories of what had happened returned as I let out a groan. When I opened my eyes, mine met two large ones. "Who are you?" I asked, slightly alarmed. What I was talking to appeared to be a giant slug.  
  
"I should be asking you the same question," replied the slug.  
  
"Uh, my name is Baby_fluff200," I stated.  
  
"Oh, I was told about you, your Mer's helper."  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"I have been sent by the Faerie Queen herself, to guard the Maraqua Ruins until further action can take place," explained the slug. I replied with a nod.  
  
"Well, could you tell me how to get to Meridell? I'm kind of lost," I replied sheepishly. It pointed me in a direction and so I followed that way.  
  
After hours of swimming I reached the shore. I headed straight for the rides up to Faerieland for those who did not have wing, but only after drinking the morphing potion in the pouch. I felt my body again twist into a new shape. This time the scales were replaced be fur, the slits on my sides closed and my fin spit into feet. It was usually easier to walk with feet. After stumbling a few times I reached Faerieland. I was wondering how to go about this whole thing when I entered the palace. Immediately I was asked for my name. When I told it, I was hurried farther into the palace. The two leading my through burst through a pair of golden lined doors to the Faerie Queen herself. Few ever got to see her. The two announced who I was and then promptly left.  
  
"Hello, Baby_fluff. I see you have had a handful of adventures," the Queen's voice was sweet and calm in an amused sort of way. Before I could speak she continued, "I know of Mystery's death, for I have felt it, but please tell me what happened. You see, she informed me she would take you because she knew she would not succeed on her own and you were perfect for the job," her eyes turned away in sadness.  
  
I began telling my story there. To my surprise, I remembered it all in great detail. The Queen watched me with great interest in the story and when I was done she had something more to say, "Strangely enough, I fell as if I should help you. Give me the pouch," I did as I was told. She took out the paintbrush, "Now you will not have to visit the Rainbow Pool," and with that I was a Strawberry Jubjub again. I loved having my old body back. Before I could thank her, she pointed her finger at me and a glow filled the room. When it subsided, I looked around. I was in my house again, the unfinished rooms never looked so good.  
  
"What was that? Rachel707, could you go see?" I heard a familiar voice call.  
  
"Fine," I heard Rachel707 call back. Her hooves came closer until she saw me. She gave her usual smirk, "Zap, I really think you should come here, quick."  
  
I gave a huge grin. Just then Zap walked in, her expression changed from amazement to glee as she picked me up, "Baby_fluff, I thought I'd never see you again! What happened? Where did you go? Who was that voice? Tell us everything!"  
  
I began to tell my story all over again.  
  
The End 


End file.
